recommend "dry" soprano recording to investigate possible hearing impairment
I'm having a lot of trouble auditioning speakers, to the point where I'm beginning to think it might be a defect in my hearing. After a long absence from the classical listening I grew up with, I now find the sound of recorded upper vocal registers to contain so much distortion as to be intolerable. (No, I've never abused my hearing. But for decades I've lived with unrelenting tinnitus, of the variety which sounds like the steady high frequencies which used to be produced continuously by CRT TVs. And yes, I'll eventually seek professional medical consultation, but first I want to confirm that the vocal distortion I'm hearing is not my imagination.)
I've tried listening to numerous recordings of respected singers on respected labels. Finally I decided I needed to listen to live in-person performances to eliminate the technology variables. But I've been to two performances in the last ten days (one a-capella choral, one Handel opera with chamber ensemble), and both venues were much too reverberant.
Suitable live performances can't be summoned on-demand. So I'm looking for a recording of a solo soprano, preferably unaccompanied, preferably single-mic'ed, in a very "dry"/"dead" venue -- a low-reverberant room, or even outdoors.
P.S. -- I've already looked in my local libraries for recorded items like exercises or lessons for singers.
I'm having a lot of trouble auditioning speakers, to the point where I'm beginning to think it might be a defect in my hearing. After a long absence from the classical listening I grew up with, I now find the sound of recorded upper vocal registers to contain so much distortion as to be intolerable. (No, I've never abused my hearing. But for decades I've lived with unrelenting tinnitus, of the variety which sounds like the steady high frequencies which used to be produced continuously by CRT TVs. And yes, I'll eventually seek professional medical consultation, but first I want to confirm that the vocal distortion I'm hearing is not my imagination.)
I've tried listening to numerous recordings of respected singers on respected labels. Finally I decided I needed to listen to live in-person performances to eliminate the technology variables. But I've been to two performances in the last ten days (one a-capella choral, one Handel opera with chamber ensemble), and both venues were much too reverberant.
Suitable live performances can't be summoned on-demand. So I'm looking for a recording of a solo soprano, preferably unaccompanied, preferably single-mic'ed, in a very "dry"/"dead" venue -- a low-reverberant room, or even outdoors.
P.S. -- I've already looked in my local libraries for recorded items like exercises or lessons for singers.
Your ears are likely ok, much modern gear and modern recordings are harsh/unnatural in the high mids/tops.
As I have aged I tend to prefer less harsh music, but I still play plenty of the loud rock/punk stuff from my 'formative' years.......provided that the system is up to playing this kind of stuff without highs 'embellishment/torture'.
This now common harshness has spawned a whole aftermarket industry of cables/filters and other tweaks supplying to listeners like you who seek to tame this characteristic.
My advice is to try some demo CD's.....the likes of Dali have published some interestingly good compilations that may help you in your quest.
What speaker form factor and price range are you proposing ?.
Dan.
Cute. I said I'm going to have my ears examined, not my head.
And I really can't stand the cigars anymore, even knowing that they symbolize nothing. It's their smell, not their shape. You really need to quit them, Siggy.
Dan,
Actually, this all started when I decided to replace the HU in my 4Runner because it has a very awkward controls interface. Then I thought about replacing the speakers. I knew that operatic voices would be the toughest test, so I've been carrying around several of those CDs. I started by going to the demo-walls in the big stores. All crap. Then I tried the high-end mobile shops -- better, but still hearing some distortion. Beginning to wonder about my hearing, by the time I was done, I was listening to $xx,xxx B&W speakers (the model that looks like a melting ice-cream sundae) through all-tube Mac gear in a purpose-built room. By then I was sensitized to listening for the objectionable bits. To be fair, the B&W was not with CDs, because they didn't have a deck connected; it was streamed from one of the "better" services, and using a DAC built-into the Mac.
Thanks, Brian -- one of my favorite genres, and I just now got it on Amazon for $8!
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